November 13, 2023, 12:30 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Since the end of September, selected iPhones have been receiving the iOS 17 operating system. Alongside some new features, there were also numerous issues. As a result, Apple is taking a different approach than usual and halting the development of iOS 18.
iOS 17 is currently Apple’s latest iPhone operating system. Typically, work on the future OS begins immediately after release. However, since the release of iOS 17, users have been troubled by issues and bugs. Therefore, the development of iOS 18 has been temporarily stopped, but the future iOS version is expected to bring exciting innovations.
Why iOS 18 Was Halted
Interruptions in operating system development are quite rare at Apple. The last occurrence was apparently in 2019, and now with iOS 18 (as well as iPadOS 18, macOS 15, watchOS 11). As Mark Gurman writes in his “Power On” newsletter, Craig Federighi, head of software development at Apple, ordered a halt–albeit only for a limited time.
Accordingly, developers are first to fix the issues and bugs in iOS 17 and prevent future or potential errors. According to Gurman, a one-week development stop of the new Apple software is planned.
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What iPhone Users Can Expect with iOS 18
After the release of iOS 17, there were many dissatisfied users. Among other things, it involved nightly restarts and overheating issues. Despite the issues, there were also new features. For instance, iOS 17.2 introduced an entirely new app.
However, the latest update versions were not groundbreaking. Gurman writes: “Apple also faces a more formidable task with its 2024 software. After several years of modest updates for iOS, the next version of the iPhone and iPad software could be relatively groundbreaking.”
Apple plans to significantly advance in the field of generative AI and catch up with Google and OpenAI. The voice assistant Siri could receive a major update. A new design is also mentioned. Internally, Apple has described the new operating system as “ambitious and compelling.”
When Will iOS 18 Be Released?
Since no major changes are expected with the iPhone 16–more precisely, the hardware–the focus is on iOS 18. After the ordered one-week halt, work on iOS 18 is expected to continue. As usual, the first beta of the operating system will be presented at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2024 (WWDC, likely in June). The rollout of the iPhone OS could then begin in September.